Trainer
by Odin92
Summary: A story about an adult in their mid-twenties who belatedly sets out on his very own Pokemon journey. Inspiration drawn from core games and slight anime elements. AU with a new region.
1. An Unexpected Gift

Hello everyone! This is my first attempt at any type of fan-fiction, so I welcome any and all comments/concerns! I definitely would appreciate any reviews and feedback! Hopefully you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! I was really inspired from reading Lamora's "Game of Champions" and decided to take a crack at it. This will certainly not be in the same universe as theirs, nor in quite the same tone, but hopefully it will be a small amount of the same joy that GoC brought to me in reading it.

* * *

"CAW! CAW!"

The electric tone of a Pidgey's (1) cry blared over the crackling speakers in the middle of the ceiling of my classroom and I felt both a small sense of joy at the artificial Pokemon's cry and at the same time slightly annoyed as I was interrupted for something related to Pokemon for the millionth time today.

"Remember, read the final chapter on the Empire of Alexander (2) and the effects of his death on the Hellenic world before we come back!" I said to the annoyed looks and sighs of my students as they moved for the door. It was the Friday before Winter Break (3) and they had waited for an hour for their boring history teacher to finish his lecture before they could go home.

"Be sure to pay close attention to what impact his rule had on India and Egypt and what effect the splitting of his empire had on them. Bonus points if you-" I had been powering down the large computer screen at the front of the room where pictures of maps and long-fallen empires had been shown, more active than any of the teenagers who watched it flash through its grainy images, when I turned to discover that my words were falling on an empty room. I couldn't blame them too much though. It was officially Winter Break.

I sighed, walked slowly to my desk, and sank into it heavily. For a teacher in his mid-twenties, I was remarkably _uncool._ I never ceased to have students fall asleep in my class. I knew it wasn't personally my fault, but really, the content.

At least, that's what I told myself.

I adored history. I ate textbooks for breakfast and historical novels were my candy, but anything that didn't have to do with the last 500 years was utterly boring and useless as far as the majority of people were concerned. Yet, the public education system of Albion (4), now that the history of the world before The Collapse (5) had been recovered, had been brought back into required educational standards.

Required, of course, only if you were in a public school. And that was becoming less and less common for the youth of today. So many kids were flocking to the private Pokemon schools and the Ace Academies (6) that my class sizes had shrunken from 30 students in five classes throughout the day, 150 kids total, to maybe 50 students across the board.

10 teenagers a class, and not one of them wanted to be there.

Everyone wanted to do something with Pokemon, even if it wasn't battling, and I couldn't blame them. Pokemon were our present, Pokemon were our recent past, and Pokemon were certainly our future. Debates ranged every day on whether or not Pokemon were the cause of humanity's first fall or our saviors from extinction, but they were now integral to the remaining human life on Earth, in no uncertain terms. Therefore, the kids that were in my class were, to a child, either from families too poor to afford getting into the "Poke"-lifestyle or from parents too protective to allow their kids to interact with the monsters that now co-ruled our world. Needless to say, class participation and motivation was always low. In my first few years, I had a couple of students who dropped out to become Trainers. A lot, actually. I tried to keep up with their careers, and I was proud to say a fair amount of them had become successful. A set of twins I taught in my first year had even become relative celebrities in the duo battle circuit, local celebrities that I liked to watch when I could.

"Ancient Cultures", the course that I taught and loved, the youth now hated. And not even in the "I am really bored with this but I can at least pretend to slightly understand the importance of knowing our past", but now a "Why does this matter in the slightest?" kind of irony of our world having emerged from a bigger Dark Age than the Western Europeans did after Rome's fall was completely lost on them, and I could not blame them.

Pokemon had changed the world more than any invention of ours ever could dream of doing. Writing, the Internet, nothing could touch the effect of a living battery in the form of a ball, a biological weather report that could never be wrong, animals that could shape the world around them more than we could.

What marvels they were.

I think part of my fascination with the ancient humans was just how they managed to survive without Pokemon in the first place.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love Pokemon. Always have, even as a kid. I grew up watching Battles, playing with the toys, even using the Virtual Trainers (7) that let kids simulate the journeys that League and Circuit Trainers (8) went on from the safety of their parents' basements. I couldn't count if I tried the nights that the kids of Ness Town (9) would gather together and link up their Virtual Trainers to battle and trade, all with dreams that one day, they would become _real_ Trainers, with their own _real_ Pokemon, going on _real_ adventures. It was every kids' fantasy.

But in those dreams, we never thought about being incinerated by a Arcanine's (10) Fire Blast. Never thought of being struck with a Decidueye's (11) Feather Arrows if we wandered into its forest unawares, or running afoul of any other monster that wouldn't hesitate to destroy us. Never even considered all of the lives lost each year: Trainers, normal people, and Pokemon alike, out in the wilds. The Trainer casualty rate was lower than it had been in the past, but not in a way that looked to be on a constant decline.

It's a dangerous career, likely the most dangerous of all, and yet that was attracted us to it. That's how it always is with kids, isn't it?

None of our parents cracked (though technically my brother was a Trainer with the Lookers (12)). Not only was being a Pokemon Trainer, or Breeder, or Coordinator (13) extremely dangerous, it was pretty expensive. Not only did you have to buy an already-trained Starter Pokemon (a hefty price unless you wanted a Caterpie that would live for a total of one week unless you could figure out how to evolve it as a novice Trainer), you needed to pay for your License Exam (14) and pass it, buy all of your supplies (Potions, rations, camping equipment, antidotes, Pokeballs, etc.), and then be prepared to pay an entry to any Cash Battle (15) that you entered. Because you would probably lose for months while you figured your way out of the "novice" stages of being a Trainer, even that last hurdle stopped many from becoming career Trainers. In short, being a Trainer required a lot of start up money, even after you got a Pokemon in the first place.

There were two kids though, when I was growing up, who tried to get into Pokemon Training. One got a Pokeball from who knows where and managed to catch a Rattata (16) that had snuck into his backyard. Where he stole the miniaturized, sphere-shaped computer from, I don't know, but I remember all of us flocking to his house to see the creature when he announced to our class that he had a Pokemon.

I remember vividly crouching together in a huddle around the white and red Pokeball, our child-like amazement splashed across all of our faces as we stared at the object of our desires. We all cheered when the Rattatta's owner clicked the switch on the Ball to let loose the Pokemon.

It was terrible. The Rattata, untrained and not used to people, came out of the stasis from the Pokeball (17) in a panic, going from the relative tranquility of a yard of tall grass into a room filled with prepubescent giants who stared at it in amazement. It immediately leapt at its captor, tearing at him with its oversized fangs and there were a few seconds of absolute terror as we watched the kid get mauled, screaming all the while. Even an untrained Rattatta's Bite (18) attack can do serious damage, mind you, and it could have caused permanent injury had no one acted, but one of us was wrestled out of our horror-induced paralysis and clicked the recall button on the Pokeball and the purple, raging little rat was turned into red, coded energy and locked in stasis inside the ball. I was about eight at the time.

The kid's parents sold the Rattata to a trader to help pay for his hospital bills and he never played Virtual Trainer with us again.

The other kid had it much better. All she did was march her way to the gates of the newly constructed Ace Academy in next door Gale Town (19), a path sometimes treacherous for those even with trained Pokemon at their side, and sat in the dirt, refusing to move until her parents agreed for her to go there instead of the Albion Public Schools with the rest of us. Her parents figured that she would quit after a day, but, two weeks later, she was admitted into the Academy after days and nights in front of its gates She's a Trainer now, and a pretty successful one, getting a couple of TV battles every year, usually when she would show up on a circuit against one of the Gym Leaders (20). I think she has about 4 Badges from the Sinnoh region now, and those aren't easy to get.

The rest of us knew we didn't have the mental fortitude to wait two weeks by ourselves so, even though we all kept that dream alive as we grew old, keeping it buried deep down in our hearts, so deep that we forgot or told ourselves it no longer was there, none of us took up the Trainers' mantle.

That dream never truly died though.

How things change in only 18 years. Now, there were more kids in schools for Pokemon than not, and the numbers of licensed Trainers grew every year. I loved it, because that meant more televised battles, but I had a sneaking suspicion that this rise in young Trainers meant that the License Exam had its standards lowered to get more kids in. More Trainers meant more battles which meant more money. Everyone, including myself, willfully ignored the fact that the yearly Trainer casualty rate increased as well. Routes were more well patrolled than they had been in years, but that still did not stop trainers, both young and old, from getting themselves on the wrong end of a Pokemon they were not prepared for, or even a human foe. Bandits and thieves were relatively common, and rumor has it that a myriad of ex-Team Rocket (21) members were always trying to reform across the regions, but I had never taken those claims too seriously. The town militias did what they could do protect the Routes to their cities, but it was certainly a life-risking journey to make from city to city, even in a vehicle.

Any way that you looked at it, Pokemon training was a hard thing, and I was privy to it through the wonders of television and the occasional Pokemon I met around town.

Ness Town was a pretty small town, though certainly not the smallest, in Northern Albion. Most of the Pokemon around are Mareep, Pidgeys, and Rattata, with the occasional wild Pokemon pack that went after the Mareep. I'd met a couple of Trainers who lived in Ness, but most move on pretty quickly to a larger city with more opportunities. Most of the residents were farmers, though we had some more modern professionals. It was a quiet town, rainy and cold, but the surrounding hills and pastures were absolutely beautiful. Thistle and heather grow in most places the eyes can see, and the Loch that gave us our name was always beautiful in the morning light. It was a good place to live.

I let out my school-is-over sigh and sank into my chair at the other end of the room, slouching into it as I loosened my tie. After a minute of silent contemplation after yet another day of being stared at by closed eyelids, I started to pick apart the sea of pages on my desk, skimming the first layer for anything that was urgent. I hadn't seen the original top of my desk since the first weeks of the school year, but most of my tests and files were kept on the relatively-working desktop that sat next to me anyway. My desk had become a joke to many of my students, but I figured any attention that they paid in my class was better than none, so I ran with it. It's not like it took any extra effort from me to keep up its untidy appearance. One kid had even scrawled "Welcome to the Paper Jungle" across the front panel of the desk, and I had kept it, bored humor immortalized in writing.

I paused and smiled on a drawing that I had been given last week by a student. Over the five years I had been teaching, my room had gradually been filled with decor not necessarily related to my subject, but more so my students' interests (with a couple of mine thrown in, of course). Posters of football players (22), celebrities, and of course, Pokemon, were plastered all over my room, either donated to me or hand-drawn by students. Hey, if they weren't going to pay attention to me, then I might as well give them something interesting to look at.

I gathered my things into my bag then rose up to tape up the latest acquisition to my art exhibit. It was a rather crude drawing of a Charizard, the tenth I now had, and it certainly was not anything spectacular.

 _I guess I couldn't do much better_ , I thought as I shrugged and hung it on the wall.

In total, I now had:

6 Pikachus

15 Dragonite (The old Dragon Champion Lance was getting a resurgence of popularity)

4 Pidgeys

2 Rattatas

4 Zangoose

1 rather impressive Milotic

3 Mightyena

2 Pyroar (my wife Sarah's favorite)

3 Mimikyu (All from the same kid, he had been weird)

And of course, my favorites, three Vulpixes and one Ninetales, which all hung directly behind my desk.

I grabbed my keys and stood, walking out into the hall and locking the door. Friday night meant League Battle Night (23). Any night you flipped on the TV, you could find some form of Pokemon Battle, or at the very least, a Contest, but on the weekends, you could get official League Battles from Gym Challenges and officially sanctioned tournaments from the Regional Leagues, courtesy of the inter-regional broadcasting networks of Goldenrod, Saffron, and Lumiose Cities. I was excited to get home, fall onto the couch, and spill popcorn with Sarah as we cheered on our favorite Pokemon and Trainers.

Tonight was a spotlight on challenges at the Cinnabar Gym, and I couldn't wait. A common icebreaker debate was to decide on whose region had the toughest Gym Leaders, but many would say that Kanto's Leaders were the most entertaining to watch at least, if not the strongest. Indeed, they certainly had the lowest win percentage out of all of the Regional Leagues, but they were the first League founded of course, so they've also had more time to train their Leaders. Albion didn't even have an official League yet, so I watched international Gym broadcasts. Blaine (24) in particular I liked, as he specialized in Fire types, my favorite (25). He was one of the oldest Gym leaders, certainly in his seventies by this point, but he hadn't lost his fiery spirit, walking away from interviewers anytime the topic of his retirement came up. He was living proof of a career-Trainer.

The last time there had been a Blaine spotlight, he had even unleashed his Charizard, Flame Bearer (26). Many challengers had quit once the dragon had been unleashed, but there were thankfully some that chose to fight. Fortunately, there was only one Pokemon who was critically injured, and their Trainer had made me scream at the TV for being such an idiot to pit it against the Charizard. It had been a Scizor (27), likely the Trainer's starter or ace. Flame Bearer's first Flamethrower attack that connected had warped its claws, melting the flesh and steel together and almost ending its battling career forever, despite the immediate response from the medical team and Pokemon always on staff at registered battles. There was an after-action report that stated that, within 6 months, the Scizor should regain at least 90% of its claws' function. There was always the danger that a battler Pokemon could be permanently injured or killed, even in a sanctioned battle, but that was the price to pay for the intensity of the battles humankind craved.

I suspected that, much like the Romans with their gladiators (28), the blood sport of battling was allowed to still carry so much danger was it made all that much more _entertaining_. Some would call it sickening, and I wouldn't necessarily disagree, but it certainly had helped to stop inter-regional conflict. Indeed, in the five hundred years that humanity's been clawing its way back from The Collapse, there had only been a handful of wars, the Pokemon themselves helping to dissuade extensive conflict, as they would very willingly help to wipe the rest of our race out if they could, leaving humanity unwilling to risk open war in case it caused mass movements and attacks by wild Pokemon. Pokemon could become great aids, partners, and friends, of course, and I do truly believe that Pokemon inherently have made our lives better. But they are, at their very inner, primal core, monsters.

And we love them for it.

"Hey, Mr. Green!" a voice shook me out of my Cinnabar-induced stupor. I shook my head and turned to where the school secretary, Ms. Porter, was walking down the hall carrying a large, brown cardboard box. "I just got this for you!"

I cocked my head in surprise. I hadn't been expecting any package.

"From who?" I asked as she reached me, taking the box from her outstretched arms.

"Didn't say." she said. "It was dropped off by a private Pokemon. A _Talonflame_." she gushed and my eyes widened. Talonflame (29) weren't native to Albion, existing as far as I know only in native parts of Kalos (30), across the Channel. "It flew off as soon as I acknowledged that I would get it to you. They're such beautiful birds, you know, I would absolutely love to have one. Do you know how much it would cost? I'm sure a lot, much more than I could affo-"

I turned and left her rambling, the only tactic that seemed to work when she got worked up. _Who was this from?_

* * *

"Hey honey!" Sarah called as I walked into our home. "Come in quick, you're missing the first battle! There's a Pyroar (31)!" she half-yelled, her eyes wide as her favorite Pokemon let loose a mighty roar from the TV set. "What made you so late?" Sarah was originally from the Kalos region, from a town called Vaniville, though she hardly remembered it. She had moved here when she was around nine. Despite that, she had a certain penchant for Kalosian Pokemon.

"Too many sheep here." I responded tiredly and crashed onto our couch next to my popcorn-munching wife, where the TV was already blaring the sound of a Battle in full swing. Traffic had been absolutely terrible on my way home, the weekend rush being in full force. A pack of Mareep (32) had even gotten in my way at one point, leading to a heated conversation with their shepherd, his useless Herdier (33) barking at me for the length of it. I had almost kicked the stupid thing, but had pedaled on, gritting my teeth. Albion's natural weather hadn't helped much either, a constant pattering rain making the drive home seem to take twice as long.

Travel in Ness Town was largely on foot. I was fortunate to have working bike, and some were able to afford rides on the Tauros-pulled carriages that the Albion government had put in place around the islands, but I figured it wasn't worth the daily money when I could get to work five minutes later and get some exercise in too. Wild Pokemon were not fans of loud, man-made noises, and often attacked the sources when they could get to them. This restricted industrialized work, travel, and entertainment to the large cities that could afford Rhydon-proof walls and specialized Rangers to protect them. Hence, it was all bikes, feet, the occasional riding Pokemon, and Tauros' for us.

I let out a sigh and reached for some of the popcorn, giving Sarah a peck on the cheek as my attention switched to the television, where Blaine's Pyroar, his mane burning a red so bright that I could almost feel the heat from my living room, roared defiance and spat rage at its opponent, a Hitmonlee (34). The Fighting Pokemon's trainer barked an order into the small headset clipped to her ear and Hitmonlee leapt forward, already spinning as its right leg curled for a bone-snapping kick. The arenas of sanctioned Battles were equipped with soundproof domes that not only protected spectators from stray attacks, but also guaranteed the battling Pokemon would hear their Trainers' commands without interference from a screaming audience.

"They were saying earlier that she's already passed her Gym exam, so she just needs to beat Pyroar to get her Badge." Sarah said, not looking at me, her eyes on the fire-lion on the TV that was spitting flames. The Pyroar unleashed a Flamethrower attack directly at the Hitmonlee, who immediately was doused in flames. The tan Pokemon was already in motion though, and crashed through the fiery blast and into its foe, it's sharp toes connected with Pyroar's side with a crack heard clearly through the audio speakers on each side of the Pokedome. The jet of flames stopped as the Pyroar was bowled over and over again, dust flying across the battlefield. The Hitmonlee stopped, likely due to its Trainer restraining it from continuing, as that one kick could have ended the fight. Hitmonlee's pointed toes could produce devastating puncture wounds, the lethal kind that struck through organs with its high-powered kicks.

Sarah was gripping my arm as the dust settled. Blaine's Pokemon gained its feet, a growl audible in its mouth along with some embers, but I could make out the blood beginning to pour from its side.

"Do you think its serious?" Sarah asked worriedly.

"I'm not sure." I said, squinting my eyes as the cameras zoomed in on the lion's wound. "It definitely could be, but-"

Blaine certainly did not think so and with a terse command, the Pyroar was speeding its way towards the Hitmonlee, its eyes as red as its mane, and it let loose an almighty growl as a snake of fire whipped its way around the Hitmonlee, creating a tornado of fire that wound its way around Hitmonlee continuously.

"Fire Spin." I said in awe. It was a smart move. Hitmonlee had no way to stop the Fire Spin without exposing itself to the fire itself, and it was already visibly singed from kicking through the earlier Flamethrower. Theoretically, Pyroar could have left the Hitmonlee there until it fell unconscious from lack of oxygen, but the fire-mane wanted revenge. As Hitmonlee began to kick dirt on the fire with a flurry of moves, there was one, final, almighty roar as Blaine's Pokemon leapt through the flames in a vision of fiery fury, its claw glowing with a a blue light as it charged the Hitmonlee, meeting him head on through its own Fire Spin and mauling the creature.

"What a Flare Blitz! Pyroar has gone through its own Fire Spin to get at Hitmonlee! What a match, folks!" the announcer screamed over the crowd. "Is this the end for Hitmonlee?"

The Fighting Pokemon was not moving, ugly slashes that were already cauterizing stretching across its chest. Immediately after its fall, red light shot out from its Pokeball as his Trainer dejectedly recalled her Pokemon. If she had been challenging the Gym in a Badge Match, she would get to use up to six Pokemon against Blaine's four, but since she had gone through the Cinnabar Gym's courses and tests, it was a 1v1 with Blaine not using his most powerful Pokemon. This was the first time I had seen him use a Pyroar, which meant it must have either just evolved or he was experimenting with a Pokemon not usually found in Kanto.

"What's that in your lap?"

Now that the match was over, Sarah turned to me, her blue eyes curious as she looked down at the package I had my hands clutched over.

"I'm not sure." I said, shaking my head as I jerked my attention away from the television where the announcer was going over replays of the match before the next challenger was announced. "It came to me at school, but Jane didn't know what it was or who sent it. It came from a Talonflame."

"A Talonflame?" Sarah asked, an eyebrow cocked. "It's weird that they'd send it to you at school and not here." She paused for a moment, and then scrambled for the box. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's open it!"

"It's mine!" I protested, pushing her hands away. "Let me do the honors."

As I peeled the layers of tape that sealed the box together, I was surprised to realize that, instead of the standard cardboard shipping box, this was actually made out of some form of hardwood, one that I did not recognize. The tape finally came off to reveal a latch. I glanced at Sarah, who looked just as confused as I, and then I opened it.

On top was a letter.

It was folded but not in an envelope. On the outward fold, it just said "To Mr. Edwards". I shrugged and picked up the paper, only to notice that there was hay underneath it.

"What on Earth?" I asked aloud, looking from the letter to the box, but then Sarah was already diving for the remaining contents of the package.

She froze.

My brows creased as I looked at her, her face a mix of surprise and confusion, as she slowly lifted her arms up and out of the box, holding a red object I had seen so many times on Internet searches and on television, an image that played in my mind on a weekly basis during planning periods or at home. An object that would change my life forever.

It was a Pokemon egg. (35)

And not just any egg.

It was a Vulpix egg.

* * *

1) Normal-type Bird Pokemon. Common all over the world. Its later Evolutions are used for package delivery as well as Battling.

2) Macedonian King who conquered much of the area around Mediterranean Sea and India in ancient times before the Collapse

3) After the Collapse, most schools in the Western Hemisphere had adopted US academic calendars.

4) Area of the world known as "Great Britain and Ireland" before the Collapse. The old country lines have been dashed in favor of a new region, Albion. Once the center of a great empire. Currently still constructing an official Pokemon League. No officially recognized unique native Pokemon.

5) Historians are still unsure if the Collapse was caused by the arrival of Pokemon or the Third World War, which in turn either awoken or created Pokemon. The Collapse was a 600 year time period of extreme danger, unrest, and fatality for humanity. Technology failed on a global scale and Pokemon began to appear at an extremely rapid rate. Nations fell within months. Only by taming Pokemon were humans able to begin their recovery.

6) Government sanctioned schools that specialized in Pokemon education. After four years of education there, a student was automatically granted a Pokedex and their Trainer License. Ace Trainers are largely considered to be much better prepared than their standard counterparts, though they have a reputation for rushing students through the educational process.

7) A handheld gaming device that was largely popular due to its Pokemon-related games.

8) Career Battling Trainers either competed in organized Regional Leagues or smaller, more open Circuits.

9) A town in what used to be known as the Scottish Highlands. It lays near a body of water known as "Loch Ness", where a creature some believe to have been a pre-Collapse Pokemon was rumored to live.

10) An extremely powerful Fire-type. Quadruped with orange, black, and yellow markings. Is capable of extreme speeds, as well as flame-based attacks. Also has powerful jaws that allow for vicious bite attacks. Popular Battler Pokemon, but will not obey weak-willed Trainers, making it a dangerous Pokemon to train.

11) A Grass/Ghost Pokemon resembling a pre-Collapse owl. Uses its feathers similar to arrows to pierce prey and opponents. A very popular Battler Pokemon, though often hard to find and raise.

12) A detective agency that flourishes in large cities across the world. Most deal with crimes committed by humans instead of protection from Pokemon.

13) A Trainer who specialized in Pokemon contests, showing off non-battling talents.

14) All people who own Pokemon have to pass a Trainer Licensing Exam, even if they have no intention of battling.

15) Wager battles between Pokemon Trainers. Cash Battles are an extremely common way for Trainers to gain income before, and even during, their League or Circuit runs.

16) A small, purple, rodent Pokemon with large front teeth. A common Starter Pokemon, due to its rodent-affinity for responding to food-centric rewards well. However, it can still be lethal, especially in a pack.

17) The Pokeball system puts the captured Pokemon into a form of molecular stasis, breaking down its cells into light and storing them inside the ball. Pokemon in a strong emotional state can, with a force of will, break out of the Pokeball, but generally they are unaware of their time inside until they are released. Theories abound about the psychological impact of molecular stasis on Pokemon.

18) A standard attack for any Pokemon with fangs, Rattata and Ratticate are known to have particularly vicious Bites.

19) A town, originally spelled "Gael" Town, named for the people who used to populate Albion in ancient, pre-Collapse times. Its current spelling came after years of confusion and mispronunciation.

20) Specialized Trainers who are the main form of PR for the Regional Leagues. They own their own training facilities and broadcast Battles every week. A Badge may be earned for either defeating the Gym Leader in a standard Battle or by completing certain educational courses and training regimes at the Gym and then beating the Leader in a reduced-difficulty Battle.

21) A criminal organization that had formed soon after humanity began to tame Pokemon. Team Rocket had reached even into the inner workings of the Regional Leagues before being taken down. Rumor has it that it was by the legendary Pokemon Trainer, Red.

22) One of the first sports to be revived from pre-Collapse days. Called "soccer" in some parts of the world.

23) Any Battle that took place in an official Arena could be dubbed a "League Battle" and would be recorded for points. Thus, any random battle throughout the lands had a chance at being televised, inciting Trainers to use them instead of no-holds-barred Trainer Battles in the wild.

24) An older scientist-turned-Trainer that lived on Cinnabar Island. He was one of the first Trainers to successfully have a Pokemon perform the since-patented Overheat move without lasting injury to the user.

25) Many Trainers chose to specialize in a specific type of Pokemon, in order to more fully understand the nuances and details of Pokemon that fell into that type classification.

26) A particularly infamous Charizard. A Fire-type, Flame-Bearer had been one of Blaine's main Pokemon for his Battling career. An apex predator and ferocious fighter, Flame-Bearer has also been studied in search of more information on the Charizard-line in general.

27) A Steel/Bug Pokemon. Red in color. It uses its claws and quick speed to out-maneuver its opponents before ripping them apart with steel-enforced claws.

28) Warriors who fought for entertainment in pre-Collapse Ancient Rome. Could often, but not always, lead to death of at least one of the combatants.

29) A Fire/Flying type Pokemon exclusive to the Kalos Region. Extremely loyal and fierce Pokemon. Any Talonflame Trainer is treated with respect for even having one.

30) A region making up parts of pre-Collapse Belgium, France, and Luxembourg. An official Pokemon League, the Kalosian League, has been established there.

31) A Fire/Normal type resembling a pre-Collapse lion. An extremely popular Battler Pokemon, for good reason. Males have large manes which are hot to the touch, while females have a long strand that extends down their backs.

32) An Electric Pokemon that resembles a pre-Collapse sheep. It's wool is used in almost all clothing, either for warmth or to help handle electric charges. Its meat is quite edible as well.

33) A Normal-type lupine Pokemon, it is a great Pokemon for herding, hence its rather obvious name. It is fiercely protective of its Trainer's possessions, and thus makes a great guard dog.

34) A Fighting type Pokemon largely from Kanto. It is extremely humanoid, which can be unsettling for some. It can deliver kicks that can break boulders in the blink of an eye. It is extremely rare, but a sought after Battler and Security Pokemon.

35) For reasons unknown to biologists, all Pokemon lay eggs, regardless if they are a mammal, amphibian, reptile, or other type of "animal". Incubation times, care, and markings differ depending on each Pokemon.


	2. A Fiery Birth

Hello everyone! This is the second, slightly longer chapter of Trainer. As always, I would absolutely love any kind of feedback or review.

One note, I do use a quote from Junichi Masuda, a producer for Pokemon Sun and Moon, so here is the link to the article: /what-its-like-inside-a-pokeball-according-to-a-pokemon-1788004256

Also, I had one person ask about the price of Pokeballs in the "Trainer" universe. I _really_ would rather not delve too deeply into the world-wide economy, but I'm imagining that Pokeballs are about $20-$25.

Without further ado, enjoy!

We were both speechless and just stared at the egg in my wife's lap for a solid minute. Pokemon eggs were expensive, always more than a Pokemon caught in a Pokeball, even a trained one. Pokemon that were hatched from eggs, having never been in the wilds, were much easier to train and, if they were the product of trained battling or contest Pokemon, could even inherit some of their parents' skills or good looks. Some Battler Trainers swore by only caught Pokemon, as they felt that they still retained some of their primal, fighting spirit from being wild, but the majority of Trainers recognized that an Egg-hatched Pokemon generally was the easier to get along and work with.

All of that was racing through my mind as I stared at the egg. This was a dream come true and as my eyes began to tear up as I swallowed what felt like an egg down my throat, I had to fight back the fear that this was all just a dream, that I had come home and gone to bed after Blaine's match and I would wake up and this would all be over.

"Peter." Sarah said, breaking the silence, still looking at the egg in her lap. "Who would send you this?"

I shook my head, unsure and still trying to shake the surrealism of the past minute and a half.

"Well, what's the letter say?" she said, pointing at the pieces of paper that had fallen onto the floor in my shock. "I don't want to worry you or anything, but what if it's a mistake, or somehow gotten illegally or something. I just want to know where it came from."

I nodded slowly, bent down, picked up the letter, and began to read with Sarah peeking over my shoulder.

"Dear Mr. Green,

It's hard to believe that it was already five years ago that we were in your class. We both still remember you, and even some of that history you taught us. Are you still teaching about that Alexander the Great guy? If so, you should know that we kept at least some of that with us. Never let ambition lead you astray, right?

It'd likely be vain to think that you've kept up with us after we left Ness, but hopefully you've heard or seen something at least. We're writing you from Johto now. A long way from home, huh? Single battles still aren't our forte, but all the hype is on Gym Badges right now, so we do what we have to.

Of course, we're not complaining, we've been blessed beyond measure to do what we love, see the world, and meet such amazing people and Pokemon. We wouldn't trade any of it for the world.

Which brings us to why we're writing to you. For this Christmas, we decided that we wanted to do something really special for someone, to use all of the fortune and blessings we've received to help someone else out. We talked through a lot of different ideas for different people, but your name kept coming up again and again. We both think you're the greatest teacher, and one honestly one of the best men we've ever met. While we might not have paid as much attention as we should have some days, we could tell you were a good teacher.

Even when we didn't care about a subject or topic as much as we should have, we could tell that you did. You were excited to be there, and that showed, and you cared about the kids in our class. It was always entertaining to see you get excited about long-dead things. You taught us a lot more than just history, and we both credit those lessons with helping us out a lot in our lives so far. For only being a few years older than us, you were wise and caring, and we just wanted to let you know that it didn't go without notice. You cared about all of your students, you really wanted them to know they were important, and that's special.

We remember that your favorite Pokemon was Vulpix, and honestly one of the things we loved about your class the most was that you would talk to us about battling and the Pokemon circuits. It was really cool to connect with a teacher in that way, and it definitely let us explore our future more in school. Therefore, we wanted to give you a chance to pursue a dream of yours.

We were on the S.S. Anne invitational a month ago. it was a blast and we were able to meet a lot of really cool Trainers. Onboard, they had a charity auction, with many of the items being Pokemon or Pokemon Eggs. When we saw the Vulpix, we knew we had to get it for you. The donor was Gary Oak. We're not sure if that means this is from his Ninetales' pedigree or not, but we definitely were lucky to win it. You better Battle it!

We hope this letter and the Egg really show how much you meant. Please don't just write this off as some celebrity Trainers trying to do a charitable donation for fame or virtue, we really think you deserve it. We hope to see you going through the Albion circuit soon!

Sincerely,

Justin and Jonathan Reinhardt

P.S. An Egg-hatched Vulpix will make a great Starter for either Contests or Battling, so you better use it! We included an Egg Hatching guide with this, but the only big advice we could think of was to make sure you're the first one that it sees when it hatches. And makes sure it gets used to a Pokeball as soon as possible.

I had to stop myself from crying. The Reinhardt twins had been in my very first class, two bright, well-mannered boys who were smart enough to do decently well at any academic subject while they focused on Pokemon. Even back then, I was surprised at how intensely they both studied the Battling circuits and strategies, I was really happy to hear that they had gone on to be Trainers, and I felt as pang of guilt that I hadn't been keeping up with their careers as much as I would have liked. I looked over at the Egg in my wife's lap, and it's brown, orange, and red coloration was beautiful.

"Honey, this is incredible." Sarah sniffled, wiping her eyes. She opened her mouth again, then stopped, her eyes downcast as she swallowed her breath.

"What is it?" I asked, elation and confusion mingling in my chest.

Sarah swallowed again, and remained silent. I could tell she was trying to work up the courage to say something, which meant I wasn't going to like it.

"Caleb," she said, nodding her head as if to reassure herself. "I know what you're thinking now, with this Egg." she moved her hand from on top of the Egg to mine. "And honestly, part of me is excited too, I think it would be amazing if you became a Trainer, or even if we both did, but…" She stopped again and gathered herself. "It'll be dangerous, and-"

"I know that." I interrupted, "I know, but that's doesn't mean that -"

"Wait." Sarah said. She didn't yell or become angry, but it was the kind of tone of voice that made you stop in your tracks. "Just let me finish, please."

I nodded. I hadn't realized how quickly my boyhood dreams of being a Pokemon Trainer, the dreams that had laid half-dormant in my heart for years, had come bursting to the forefront of my mind.

"It's not just dangerous from a physical standpoint." Sarah continued. She knew that I was fully aware of the risk of injury and death involved in Training. "But also from a financial standpoint. If you really want to go all out as a Trainer, and I'm sure you will," Her eyes flashed up to mine with a knowing look, a small smirk teasing out of the corner of her mouth, "then you won't be able to stay in Ness. We don't have any form of official Stadium (1), and I refused to let you try to make your wages purely off of gambling down at the arena here." (2)

She watched me for a second, but I merely nodded in silence. She wasn't wrong. "So, I think that, before we decide to sell or rent out the house and traipse off into the wild, we need to just make sure that this is something sustainable."

It took me full seconds before I realized she hadn't given me an outright no. I nodded again, She was right, I couldn't count the amount of times I'd seen derelict ex-Trainers either on the TV or even in town, trying to find any job that they could after they'd sold all of their Pokemon for cheap. You had to start Training young, and most of the older beginner Trainers, even those that started at my age, were at a severe handicap. If you couldn't win, then you were nothing in the Battling and Contest scenes, and for every winner, there has to be a loser. For every successful Trainer who made large profits off of their careers, they were probably at least ten if not more that hardly scraped by, living day to day without any form of stability.

That's not what I wanted for my wife, even with my yearning of being a Trainer.

"You're right, dear." I said, squeezing her hand again. "About all of it. Of course I want to be a Trainer, but" I stopped for a moment, forcing myself to calm down despite the adrenaline in my veins, "I don't want to put you or our future at risk." I swallowed, already trying to piece together how I could live with a Pokemon and not want to battle with it. There was no way I'd sell the Egg, not after it had been such a wonderful gift, which meant that, no matter what, there was a Vulpix in my future.

"It'll be nice to have a Pokemon regardless, even not as a Battler."I muttered. I was half-convinced, but I'm sure that my disappointment was evident.

She wasn't wrong and I wasn't mad or angry with her.. It was ridiculous for a grown man to try to enter the world of Pokemon Battling. Most Trainers my age had been in the field for at least five or six years already, so I'd be extremely behind. That made the risk of losing much higher, and that, coupled with the initial cost and inherent danger of becoming a Pokemon Trainer in the first place, was the entire reason I hadn't become a Trainer before.

Sarah and I had talked about this countless times, each of us day-dreaming about going off with Pokemon and seeing the world, but each time both of us realized that it was just not responsible or a sound thing to do. It was an incredibly dangerous profession, one that demanded a certain amount of recklessness, and I hesitated when I thought about what could happen to not only me, but my wife, if I failed.

Sarah sat for a moment, took another deep breath, and then looked me in the eyes.

"What about this…" she nodded again and then began to smile. "What if, once the Vulpix is born, we raise it, train it, and see how you do." She snapped her fingers, her eyebrows raising as a new idea struck her. "And then," she continued, speaking more quickly as she became more excited, "what if you take on the Northern Albion Circuit (3). If you can do that, if you can win at all of those Gyms, if you can prove that this can be something profitable, then we'll set out as Trainers. Together!"

I laughed and cried at the same time. "Together?"

"Well yeah, dummy." my wife said, punching me in the arm. "If you get to be a Trainer, I get to be one too. So win enough money to get me a good Starter!" She pecked me on the cheek. "No pressure, of course."

I was exultant. We hugged and then immediately tore into the hay to find the additional papers the Reinhardts had sent, a guide on hatching Eggs. We both read the guide all the way through then and there. We kept the Egg in the hay it had been cushioned with for the night and the next morning I immediately set out to get an Incubator (4). It wasn't cheap, but, aside from having another Pokemon to sit on it, there wasn't an alternative that would allow it to hatch before Winter Break ended. The Reinhardts had neglected to mention how far along the Egg was, possibly because they didn't know, but I knew that the maximum amount of incubation time would be three weeks. I hoped I'd meet Vulpix sooner.

Over the next couple of days, I started making the excited phone (5) calls to my parents and friends, as well as preparing for my Licensure Exam. Technically, I would have a grace period of a week after coming into possession of the Vulpix before it would be illegal for me to have it, so I was hoping to take the exam once I actually had a Pokemon to use during it (6). The exam featured a section on Pokemon handling and while the examiners provided Starter Pokemon to use for those without their own, something in me really yearned to take the exam with Vulpix itself. I had been annoyed when my brother, Paul, hadn't answered his phone and I was forced to leave a voicemail. I was pretty sure that he had a Houndour (7) as his Looker Pokemon, and thus might have some advice on raising a Fire-type.

One of my best friends, Ben White, came with his wife, Audrey, the Saturday after we received the Egg. We had been friends since childhood, he and Audrey being some of the wannabe Trainers of my youth. While I had become a teacher, he and his wife worked together with networking and software development, part of the IRNC (8) that helped maintain communication and Pokedex (9) lines.

"This is incredible." Ben said, peering into the Incubator where the Vulpix Egg suspended in a dense, sticky solution designed to retain heat as well as inject naturally-sourced nutrients through the shell for enhanced growth. "You said that this was one of Blue's (10)?"

"I don't know," I said, grinning as I looked at the Egg as well. "All I know is that he was the one who donated it to the S.S. Anne auction."

Ben looked over at me with a raised eyebrow and whistled softly.

"You must be a lot better at your job than I thought, being sent something like this from some ex-students. I would have expected just like a card and some quirky socks or something."

I laughed and went on to show him the Incubation guide and the small section of the kitchen we had corralled off for the arriving infant Pokemon. There was an overly-large round bed layered with blankets, food and water bowls, some toys, and a smoke alarm placed directly above the bed.

"We'll have to constantly be dousing everything with non-flammable sprays and wraps." I explained. "It'll only have weak flames for a while, but that'll be the time to train it not to light whatever it wants on fire." I smiled at the Egg and waved, banishing my initial thought of Sarah or I being doused in flames. "Apparently, there's a rumor that the Pokemon are aware of what's going on outside of the Egg." I explained to a bemused Ben. "Hey little dude. I can't wait to meet you!"

My friend grinned and then pulled me aside, a little bit away from where our wives were talking.

"So, are you gonna Battle it?" he asked in a hushed and excited voice. I could hear the eleven year old that I had played Virtual Trainer with in the whisper. "Ninetales are really good, especially if you can get them used to long Embers as a Vulpix (11). It'll be really great if you tap into its Ghost-type moves too."

"That's the plan!" I said, louder than Ben expected, who whirled and glanced back at Sarah and Audrey quickly. "She already knows, we've talked about it." I said, nodding at Sarah. "Once it's old enough to battle, the agreement is that if I can take on the Albion League, we'll start actually trying to make it as Trainers."

Ben's eyes were wide.

"Wait...both of you?" he said.

"Well, yeah." I laughed. Sarah had noticed what we were talking about and walked over, pushing in next to me as I threw an arm around her shoulder. "We figure that if we both become Trainers, it doubles the chances of one of us actually succeeding, right? Besides," I said, looking over at my wife. "She knows her stuff. She'll probably even be better than me."

Sarah was a writer for a couple of different magazines, all focusing on Pokemon. She had studied concepts ranging from Pokemon Breeding to the different population zones in Albion to even a couple of articles on survival skills needed in the wilds, including very rudimentary Apricorn (12) manipulation. The rather believable idea that my own wife would overtake me made me grin with both excitement and a little bit of fear.

The Whites stayed over a while, hanging out and fawning over the Egg that now gradually rose and fell within the Incubator. As they were leaving, Ben gave a final look at where my Vulpix was growing and whistled low. He grinned and punched me in the arm, and the glint in his eye was the same that I used to see when we were kids, battling our digital Pokemon in our parents' houses.

"Let me know the second it starts cracking." he said, and left.

* * *

Sarah and I spent the next two weeks taking care of the Egg, making sure that the Incubator Solution was at the correct Ph levels for proper care. I spent my time pouring over Trainer Manuals from the small library in town as well as watching multiple videos for beginning Trainers. It irked me a bit that they all seemed geared towards younger kids, student-aged, but I was able to discern a lot, eating up the knowledge like it was manna from Heaven.

There were only a handful of Vulpix-related training videos, as these Pokemon were relatively rare and often were purchased pre-evolved as Ninetales by Trainers wanted to add a Fire-type to their team. Vulpix were hard to find in the wild, often hiding and ambushing prey rather than chasing, making their lairs extremely difficult to see with the naked eye. Ninetales themselves were almost unheard of in the wild, the white "Ghosts of the Woods" able to stalk prey effortlessly as well as to avoid would-be captors with ease. Vulpix breeders were one of the only ways that Vulpixes became available to own. I was constantly curious about where my Egg came from, whether it was actually a spawn of Gary Oak's Ninetales or not, but I could never find a record of him enlisting the aid of any Breeders in the months leading up to the letter from the Reinhardts.

It hatched on a Tuesday morning.

I had just finished making a cup of coffee on the stove and was in still in my pajamas. Sarah was already at work, typing away. She was very efficiency-oriented, and thus preferred to get up early in the morning to work, leaving the rest of her day open. She was sitting at her desk, her hands flying across the small computer that hummed almost-loudly. Our kitchen melded into a small breakfast room where she sat, the sun's rays making her blonde hair golden in their light.

I took a sip of the coffee, gagging slightly as my tongue recoiled at the burning liquid, and leaned down to where we had set the Egg Incubator on the kitchen floor. Next to it set a Pokeball, its colors inverted (13). The Ness Pokemart (14) had a special sale that day on Premier Balls, a special looking kind of Pokeball that was pure white with a red band that went around the center of the Ball. Premier Balls were generally thrown in as a bonus when Trainers bought Pokeballs in bulk, but it turns out that Ness' Pokemart, due to high volumes of stock, were trying to clear space by selling the Premier Balls individually. Since Vulpix was my first Pokemon, I figured it deserved a special Ball, and purchased it.

"Hey little guy". I said, smiling as I looked over the red and orange coloration of the egg's shell through the incubation liquid.

My eyes glanced over the Egg and then they fixed on a small, black line that curved over the part of the shell that was facing me.

My heart stopped.

"Everything okay?" Sarah asked from her chair, noticing that I hadn't risen from the kitchen floor.

I didn't say a word, getting to my feet and rushing to the stove where I had just finished making my coffee and turned the heat back on, twisting the dial sharply to the highest heat (15).

"It's happening?" Sarah exclaimed, her chair crashing to the ground as she stood in a rush and hurried to the kitchen. She was already grabbing the Incubator and moving it to the sink.

"Hurry." I said, fear making my words short. I had no idea how long the crack had been there, and the Egg Hatching Guide had been very clear that the Egg shouldn't still be in any form of liquid when it begins to hatch. I didn't want any of the Incubation liquid to get to the Vulpix.

Sarah nodded and released the bottom grate of the incubator, the Incubation liquid pouring out of it with a sticky, foul odor as the Egg remained inside. My foot was tapping loudly on the kitchen tile as I watched the flames turn to a hot blue underneath a frying pan I put on the stovetop to hold the Egg in place.

"Did you check on it when you got up?" I asked softly as Sarah moved beside me, holding the Egg in her hands.

"Yeah, I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary about it then."

I nodded, letting out a long, slow breath. If the crack hadn't appeared until the time between Sarah was up and I had noticed, hopefully there wouldn't be any lasting damage. I already felt like I was this Vulpix's Trainer, a surge of near-paternal feelings were roaring in my chest.

"It's hatching. Get here quick." Sarah clicked the phone off. I was glad she had remembered to call the Whites. I knew Ben would kill me if they weren't told immediately.

Suddenly, she gasped and lurched forward, her arms clutching the egg to her stomach.

"It's moving." she said, and then scrambled again to clutch the egg. "A lot."

I checked the fire on the stove-top and waved my hand over it, feeling the warmth from the fire begin to make my skin sweat immediately.

"Alright, go ahead and put it on."

Sarah carefully rolled the egg onto the frying pan. I braced myself for the sound of sizzling, but there was hardly a sound. I watched, transfixed, my muscles tense. I wasn't sure what to expect. The Hatching Guide had said that Fire-type Pokemon had some of the most variable hatch times, with some hatching immediately when subjected to heat comparable to their mothers', and others taking up to an hour.

Minutes passed, and then half an hour, and still nothing happened. My foot continue to hammer the kitchen floor in my nervousness. What was taking so long? Could we have begun the process to early?

I barely registered the knock on the door, or Sarah answering it and letting our friends in. Ben said something to me, taking his place beside me, but I just nodded. We sat in relative silence, staring at the egg for seconds that felt like hours. Hannah and Sarah joined us, my wife linking her arm in mine.

The egg moved.

I leaned forward in a rush, my eyes wide and sweat beginning to form on my brow as the heat from the stove filled the room. It rocked back and forth, slightly at first, but then more and more dramatically. After a couple of more rocks, a large crack sounded, and I saw a piece of the Egg fall down into the pan.

"Get down!" I said, pushing Sarah and Ben down. Hannah followed suit. "I want to make sure I'm who it sees first." Vulpixes opened their eyes upon birth, though apparently some Breeders claimed they had seen cases where the small fox had remained blind for a few weeks after its birth. I hoped this wouldn't be the case with mine.

Another crack sounded out, and I saw a small claw, only one, pierce the Egg's shell. I gasped as the claw wriggled, retreated back into the depths of the Egg, and then shot out again, creating a larger hole in the shell. I reached forward,hoping to help my Pokemon break free, but the heat was too severe and I jerked my hand back.

It didn't need me anyway. I heard what sounded like a small, almost sad-sounding cry (16) as the Egg heated up to an extreme temperature and an orange light flashed inside. The Egg's shell burst apart with much more force than I expected and I covered my hand, wincing as a blinding light and near-scorching heat radiated out from my stove-top.

She was beautiful.

The Vulpix shook itself, its orange and red fur flaring to its full extension as she looked around slowly, her brown eyes wide and slowly blinking. She had a single, light-colored tail that hadn't yet taken on the signature curl of her species (17). The curls on the top of her head were large, already sporting four or five impressive locks, indicating that this Pokemon was female (18). She was already large, and as she stood, I realized that she already had the physique of a Battler-type Vulpix (19). I swallowed, but the noise was enough to make her ears perk up and she turned and looked straight at me.

Our eyes met, and I could see the mix of confusion, affection, and unconditional, instinctual love in her eyes. A shiver went down my spine as she stared at me and I stared back, a small smile slowly creeping itself across my face. Her nose wrinkled slightly as she sniffed the air, and then she leaned forward towards me.

"Stay down." I whispered to my friends and wife still sitting on the floor and I slowly leaned my hand out towards the Vulpix's face. She watched the hand move and I saw her muscles, already well-defined despite having just been born, tense. I remembered reading that physical touch was an extremely important bonding mechanism with all Pokemon, especially recently Hatched ones, and I tried to remain calm as I moved my hand out a few inches from her nose.

The Vulpix, _my_ Vulpix, leaned forward and sniffed my hand tentatively.

 _Would she obey me?_

 _Would I really be able to take of her?_

 _Would she be a Battler?_

 _Would she burn down our house?_

 _Would she like me?_

I was jolted out of the racing worries of my head as I felt a soft, warm, and wet lick on the tips of my fingers. Vulpix let out a pleased yip and then moved herself into my hand, nuzzling my palm with her head.

"Hey little one." I whispered, and petted her for a few moments, relief and joy washing over me. She was adorable and she took one, and then another small steps out of the Egg shell towards me. I scooped her up, hissing slightly as my hands neared the still-lit stove, and I picked her up.

She came without a fuss, yipping happily again, and I nestled her into my chest. She was warm, very warm, but not hot. She felt as if I had warmed a thick blanket over a fire and then compressed into a ball. It was a comfortable heat, the kind that you could fall asleep in.

"Here she is." I said softly, turning away from the stove.

Sarah was the first up, already leaning down and rubbing her nose into the Vulpix's snout, much to the delight of both parties.

"She's so cute!" my wife said, tickling the white underbelly of the Pokemon. "I love her already."

The Whites gushed over the fox-Pokemon and we eventually sat in a large circle in on the kitchen floor, letting her run to and fro between us. As Vulpix grew more comfortable running about and playing with us, I noticed only a few small flickers of flame come from her mouth. That was something I knew I'd have to work on eventually, but I was too excited to see her flames working to begin training her immediately. At one point, I was forced to pull back my hand as she let loose a small Ember, though I was more encouraged than anything. She definitely would be able to emit strong flames when she grew up.

We played with Vulpix for about an hour, including giving her a first taste of some PokeFood (20) and even half of a PokePuff (21). After eating, she curled up in my lap and, after a few minutes, I could tell from her deep breaths that she was asleep.

I was in love.

We spoke with the Whites for a while as Vulpix slept, and then bid them a goodbye, promising we would get together with them tomorrow to let them see Vulpix again. As they were stepping out of the door and I was cradling Vulpix in my arms, Ben turned and looked at the sleeping Pokemon. He nodded after a few moments, an idea seeming to cement itself in his head. I gave him a questioning look, the same look I'd given him countless times throughout our childhood, but he just smiled, shrugged, and left.

We played and hung out with the Vulpix for the rest of her day, letting her explore the house and get used to the world outside of her Egg. She was inquisitive, playful, and one of my favorite moments was when she learned that she could jump on the couch. We had to be quick with the anti-flammatory spray then, as when she began to bounce on the cushions, small embers shot out of her mouth in joy. From what I had researched, the earlier that a Vulpix was able to emit flames, the more powerful their attacks would be as they grew. Every time a flash of orange sparked near her mouth, part of me grinned.

* * *

The first scare happened that night. Despite all of the precautions we had taken, despite all of our combined knowledge of how dangerous Pokemon could be, Sarah and I let our guard down.

The Hatching Guide had recommended that the first capture take place when the Vulpix was asleep, as there then was a much less likely chance of it rejecting the molecular coding. She had been asleep on Sarah's lap as we watched TV when I grabbed the Pokeball, flipping the switch along the thin red line that ran around its circumference to "Capture". I had motioned at Sarah that I was ready to try the Pokeball for the first time, and she nodded. I then touched the smaller "capture circle" on the Ball to Vulpix's sleeping side. She was engulfed in a bright red light, the trademark of the Pokeball capture system, and she dissipated into the PokeBall.

I wasn't entirely sure what it must have felt like to become _code_. The official creator of the Pokeball, Junichi Masada, stated that while the Pokemon became code, their "consciousness" was put into a dream-like state and into an artificially created environment, a place he stated is "maybe the equivalent of a high-end suite room in a fancy hotel." The Pokeball creators had patented the technology and guarded its secrets zealously, so thus information regarding the technology was scarce (22). There had never been any findings regarding negative side effects regarding the use of Pokeballs, and thus there had not been too much inquiry into their nature by the general public.

I heard the "click" of the Ball as it signalled a successful capture. Pokeballs took about thirty seconds to fully render a Pokemon's code and artificial environment, forever writing the data into the Pokeball's mainframe, and so Sarah and I sat with baited breath until I could release Vulpix to be sure she wasn't alarmed by the process (23).

Once time had passed, I clicked the capture circle to release Vulpix. The same bright, red light released her onto the floor in front of Sarah. As Vulpix's form solidified, I saw immediately that she was awake instead of still asleep as she had been before.

The red light faded away to reveal the Pokemon fully-formed, and my Vulpix shook her head violently. She was already on all fours, a surprise to me, as I expected her to come out of the Pokeball in the same state she went in, and I could tell something was off. Her fur was on end, and her tail was erect behind her, straight and pointed.

Before I could move, before I could react, before I could even think to speak, it happened.

Vulpix closed her eyes, disorientated and panicked, and let loose a jet of fire directly towards Sarah.

My heart was in my throat and I took a harsh breath as the heat of Vulpix's flame made my eyes squint. By the time the flash of light abated, I was already feeling adrenaline and fear race each other in my veins.

Sarah sat there, a surprised look on her face. She had leaned back away from the flame, her head buried into the couch, but she didn't look any worse for wear.

With relief and fury replacing my initial fear, I rounded on Vulpix, who sat on the ground, her eyes blinking and her head swiveling from me to Sarah.

"Bad!" I screamed. The Hatching Guide had suggested starting communication using one word commands and feelings, and we had practiced simple commands all day. That was certainly the first time the Pokemon had heard a negative word her way though.

"Bad!" I yelled again and rose up from my sitting position. The Vulpix was scared, I could tell, but her teeth were bared and I heard a small growl escape her lips. In the back of my head, I knew that this had to be caused by her experience with the Pokeball, but I was angry and did the only thing I could think of. I raised the Pokeball again and clicked the return switch. Vulpix immediately was engulfed in the red light again and within seconds was gone, dissipated into the orb I held in my hand.

I was breathing heavily, rage, fear, and panic paralyzing my brain. Thoughts of what this could mean for my future with Vulpix flashed through my mind. Could I really keep Vulpix after a close call this soon?

I was broken out of my thoughts as Sarah's hand took mine.

"I'm okay." she said, squeezing my hand. I looked over at her and nodded. We sat in silence for a few moments as I tried to calm my breathing.

"We knew there were going to be close calls." Sarah said, exhaling. I realized she had been taking short, quick breaths. "She was scared. She probably had no idea what was going on and just reacted with fear." She was reassuring herself as much as she was me.

I knew my wife was right, but I was still flush with emotion, so I just nodded. I hadn't expected danger this quickly, especially when the day had gone so well with Vulpix.

"Let her out again." Sarah said, and I raised an eyebrow.

"She's got to get used to it." Sarah continued. "This time we'll be ready in case of another incident."

We positioned ourselves behind the couch before releasing Vulpix. She emerged still bristling, but without flame. She looked for me immediately, her head swiveling until she found my eyes, and I could sense more confusion than anger.

After a moment or two, I reached out my hand.

"Come here, little one."

She was a blur of brown and red, immediately leaping upon the couch cushion, vaulting over the back of the couch, and into my arms. I could hear her humming softly with a slow delight.

I finally grinned and looked at Sarah.

"I'm sorry honey." I said, leaning into her shoulder while still holding Vulpix. "I'm glad you're not hurt."

Sarah shrugged and smiled, petting the red fox. "We knew what we were getting into."

* * *

1) Arenas that are maintained and financed by Regional Leagues. These include Broadcasting stations as well as official tournaments with cash payouts.

2) Ness Town has an arena where amateur and wannabe Trainers gather to battle and train. Most battles include some form of monetary wager.

3) Regions that do not have official Pokemon Leagues often have pseudo-official "Circuits", where Trainers can run a gambit of non-sanctioned Gyms. Trainers could make a living off of Circuit Battling, but not anywhere near the level of wealth that League and Premier Tournament Trainers could. Albion has two Circuits, a Northern and Southern. The Southern is considered more challenging.

4) A capsule-looking machine that could successfully incubate and sustain a Pokemon Egg even more efficiently than a nesting mother Pokemon. Due to the high amount of electricity needed for incubation, cheaper models are prone to break easily after a couple of uses.

5) Cellular phones were among the first inventions to be reclaimed from the Collapse once humanity began to stabilize. Pre-Collapse satellites structured after the LAGEOS-1 models were able to remain in orbit even after the Collapse.

6) Most Regions outlawed the ownership of Pokemon without a proper Trainer's License, to be renewed on a five year basis.

7) A Fire/Dark type, pack-based Pokemon. Prized for its loyalty to to its Trainer. Similar to pre-Collapse dogs, they are black in color, with a skull-like hardened mark on its forehead, an adaptation useful for scaring offer predators and intimidating prey.

8) Inter-Regional Network Coalition

9) A device issued to all licensed Trainers. Includes communication, note-taking, photography, and Pokemon-recording capabilities.

10) A common nickname for Gary Oak. His rival, Ash Ketchum, went by Red.

11) Vulpix and Ninetales' signature fire attacks are emitted by small sac-like organs on either side of their jaws that feed into minute openings in their mouth. A biofuel made up diethylzinc and diphosphane is created there, generated from nutrient intake as part of the Pokemon's digestive tract. Much like the way that many serpentine Pokemon can spit venom multiple feet, Vulpix and Ninetales, like many Fire-Types, can eject this solution multiple feet in fiery streams. Fire-types' saliva is often flame-retardant and they often have extremely calloused mouths. Training is needed to extend the amount of time that biofuel can be emitted for and in what quantities.

12) A nut with addictive tendencies that is liked by almost all known Pokemon, herbivore and carnivore alike. Using them for training purposes can help in forming a bond with Pokemon, and at the very least can distract wild ones from attacking a human.

13) Standard Pokeball colorations had red top halves of the sphere, with a white bottom halves.

14) Many Pokemon-related stores belonged to a chain company called "Pokemart". While they did generally carry almost anything that a Trainer could need, they were often criticized for not offering specialized merchandise and for running locally-owned stores out of business.

15) Many Pokemon Eggs only hatch once subjected to an environment similar to how they would be in the wild.

16) Vulpix and Ninetales' cries are known to have a more melancholy note, While their calls can range from playful to warning and to even sad, they are known to have a more somber sounding vocal-range, despite their general jovial personalities.

17) Vulpixes are born with only one tail, with additional tails growing as they age and are trained.

18) Male Vulpixes generally have smaller, wavier hair on the top of their head. Females sport the popular curls.

19) Many smaller Pokemon hatch from Eggs very close to their average full-grown size.

20) A kibble-like substance liked by almost all known Pokemon species. Has led many scientists to believe that all Pokemon must have adapted to an omnivorous diet, even if they lean towards being more herbivorous or carnivorous in the wild

21) Similar to PokeFood, a small dessert popular with Trainers in getting a Pokemon to grow more affectionate. Extremely sweet.

22) The coding process had been experimented on humans by third-party companies, but never with successful results.

23) Once its data was written, the Pokeball was linked with the caught Pokemon forever. This was considered a counter-theft measure, and also a way to ensure that Trainers were constantly buying new Pokeballs.


	3. The Exam Begins!

Hello all! First of all, I would like to sincerely apologize for the long delay in getting this third chapter out, I've been extremely busy with work and family stuff, as well as some other, more serious writing projects. Regardless, I hope that there are still those interested in hearing Peter's story as he delves into the world of Pokemon. As always, please feel absolutely free to let me know what you like, don't like, or anything about the story! I'm always happy to read reviews or private messages and will always try to respond. Without further ado, enjoy!

"Ember!" I commanded, pointing my finger at the stuffed PokeDoll (1) that sat on the dirt outside of my house. There were already singe marks on the doll, but today was the day that I hoped it would go up in flames.

It was the day of the Licensure Exam, and I wanted to run Vulpix through some of her moves before we actually were tested. The Exam, taking place in Gale Town, was about four hours on bike, only one by Tauros-coach, and I had woken up early, nerves not letting me sleep for long. I had been up for hours before the dawn, nerves not letting me sleep. Ben called me early, much earlier than I would have expected to have heard from him.

"What time is the Exam?" he had asked, sounding much more awake than I.

"Around ten. They said I should expect it last well into the evening."

"Sounds good, I-" he had paused, as if he had checked himself from saying something, and then continued, "I know you'll do great!" He hung up before I could respond. After feeding Vulpix and letting her run around our yard to fully wake up, we had begun to run through our daily training regime.

There was a tiny yip and then a blaze of heat as a ball of fire shot out from Vulpix's mouth. While the flames had been small at first, after about five days of training, I could already tell that her Ember attack had grown immensely. The thought of her being able to handle a prolonged Flamethrower attack made me giddy.

"Keep it going!" I said, and Vulpix obliged, letting out another large blast of fire that hurtled towards the flame-blackened doll.

The doll we were using as a target was rocked with a large bolt of fire and toppled to the ground, its body charred and small drifts of smoke wavering from it.

"Good!" I said, clenching my fist in excitement. "Now Bite!"

Vulpix yipped again, leapt forward, and sunk her teeth into the doll, whipping it back and forth. It was cute and a bit scary at the same time.

"Good girl!" I crooned, walking over to my Pokemon. She dropped the Pokedoll and turned, her brown eyes looking up at me happily, and I patted her on the head.

I crouched down so that her head was at mine.

"Well, today's the day." I looked in her eyes, willing her to understand how important today was. "You up for it?"

I saw the small look of defiant, near-haughtiness that I had come to recognize whenever Vulpix was feeling the urge to release some energy, whether I liked it or not, and I grinned. We were a team and the spark that had simmered in my chest since I was a small boy grew. I was going to be a Trainer.

I patted Vulpix again and then clicked the return switch on her white Pokeball, and then clipped it onto my belt (2). Sarah was already up and working as I went inside to grab my bag for the day, her fingers clattering away on a computer.

"You feel ready?" she asked, her eyes not leaving the computer screen. It was the thousandth time she had asked that question this week, and easily the tenth this morning, but each time it sent a shiver of apprehension down my spine. The price for a test was expensive, not outrageously so, but definitely not something I would want to pay again if I ended up failing today. If I couldn't make it through the Exam this time, I knew my chances would become even worse of breaking into the competitive Pokemon scene (3).

I checked the time, realized it was time to go, and got my things together: an ID, the money for the Exam, a sandwich and water bottle for me, and some Pokefood for Vulpix. I put the collection of essentials into a sling bag, slung it over my shoulder, picked up a travel mug of hot coffee, and then nestled a green baseball hat onto my head. I had never really been much of a hat person, but I knew that the sun would be bright today and I had noticed that hats were extremely popular in the fashion for competitive Pokemon battling. I might as well look the part if I was going to try to make it.

"It looks good on you." Sarah had walked up behind me as I was getting ready, and her voice made me turn. She tucked the bill of the hat down further onto my head.

"There. Much better."

I nodded, not saying much, looking down at the floor. I always avoided eye contact whenever I was nervous. Sarah tilted my head up until our eyes met.

"You're going to be fine." she said, giving me a reassuring smile. "If sixteen year olds can handle this Exam, you'll ace it for sure." She looked me over, made sure I had everything, and then gave me a quick kiss and hug. "If you fail, I'll just take Vulpix myself and pass!"

I had honestly entertained the thought of having both of us become licensed at the same time using Vulpix or one of the rental Exam Pokemon, but Sarah had denied it. She figured that it would be best to wait and see if I could make back the money for the Exam entry first by battling before we applied again. If I couldn't even make the application money back through battling, then there was hardly a reason to have both of us become licensed (4). Despite this, I think Sarah also felt that this first foray into the Pokemon world needed to be mine alone. She knew this was important to me, and she was extremely gracious that she allowed me to pursue my own dream with her own career as a Trainer hinging on the outcome. She was selfless, kind, and insightful, and I loved her for it.

"Call me when you finish!" Sarah grinned as I walked out the door. I laughed, the smile helping to force down some of the nerves that had been eating at my stomach all morning.

"I'll be calling from a new number (5)!" I called back and then began my bike ride into the heart of Ness Town.

I was grateful that the rain had held off, though the harsh winds cut through my jacket as if I had gone out into the world without dressing. I kept my head down and kept pedaling, hoping that the cold wind would help to calm my nerves. We expected snow any day now, and I hoped that it would hold off for my Exam.

Our home was a ten minute or so ride from the center of Ness Town. We had been lucky to buy a home close enough to the heart of the city, never too far from supplies, entertainment, or my job at the school. I spent the ride simultaneously resisting the urge to turn around and go home, running through all of what I knew about the Exam, and debating on whether or not to let Vulpix out to sit in my front basket for the ride. I decided she'd likely rather stay warm, as well as that she would need to save her strength and energy for the Exam, and kept her in her Pokeball. The isolation let me sink into my own head and eventually I sank into a nervous daze, my head spinning around facts about the various kinds of Pokemon, what antivenoms worked on Poison-types, and the various precautions that Trainers needed to take when camping in areas with a known Pokemon presence. As I rounded the road to get into Ness Town proper, I wished that I had some form of guide or review to study.

The Trainer Exam questions were always a closely guarded secret, with confidentiality requirements being demanded of every Examinee. I had heard that each round of testing came newly devised questions and trials, so even if a Trainer or instructor from a previous exam leaked the contents, it still would not make the Exam void. I knew there was always at least two written portions, along with two field portions, but that there were always six phases, with the last two ranging from battles to simulations to even Breeding or Poke-resource6 management.

I rode past the assortment of businesses that made up the main square of Ness Town, the thatch-roofed buildings of stone and wood as well as the various market stalls that were set up in the morning by merchants and tucked away in homes at night. It was an early Saturday morning and the town was still waking up as I my bike skidded to a halt outside of the Transportation Station. I locked the bike to a rack outside, shivered, and then walked inside, the smell from the Tauros already making my nose wrinkle.

While the Ness Transportation Station did house two buses that could be rented by large groups that needed to travel the country, the main purpose of the Station was to house the communal Tauros wagons that could be used by families or individuals to travel from town to town (7). The Pokemon were near-tireless and were not easily spooked by Pokemon in the wild, traits that more than made up for the smell of dung that hung around the Tauros stables. I always assumed that the workers there just became desensitized to the stench, as the uniformed man who greeted me from behind a counter as I entered wore a broad smile, seeming either not to notice or just choosing to ignore the stench.

"Good morning!" he said much too cheerily for how early it was. "Looking to buy a ticket today?" The Station building only had three walls, with one side opening out into the Tauros pens. There were glass barriers that stretched along a small stretch of where the absent wall would have been to keep the wind out, but it did little. The Station worker was wearing a heavy coat and scarf, and I noticed a mug of steaming coffee that sat on the counter near him. No wonder he was so chipper already.

"Yeah" I mumbled, trying to keep my mouth as closed as possible to avoid the Tauros smell from creeping past my lips. A dull bellow sounded out, and I glanced across the room to see two of the Tauros already hooked up to a wagon outside, their tails respectively tied with thick hempen rope so that they could not frenzy. "Surprised you already have a coach ready."

"Rain, sleet, snow, or hail, we'll have you behind Tauros tails!" he quipped. "We're close to being open twenty four hours a day. How great is that?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Sounds good!" I replied much less enthusiastically, still waking up and wondering how long this worker had been at his desk. Though he sported a rather large blonde mustache that was obviously well-groomed, I got the feeling that he likely wasn't past his twentieth birthday.

I paid for a ticket and then sat on a bench, my nose wrinkled due to the smell of Tauros dung, and waited for other passengers to arrive. I figured it couldn't take long, as there were a fair amount of people in Ness who worked in Gale Town during the week and then came back home for the weekend or in the evenings. Sure enough, I was joined by the needed three more passengers within fifteen minutes, all eager to be in Gale Town in the early morning.

The wagon, though honestly it deserved a nicer description, that the Tauros pulled was always comfortable. It was enclosed from the elements, with large windows all around so that the passengers could look out at the passing scenery. Even the driver sat inside, enclosed with the passengers, with the reigns for the two Tauros that pulled the wagon pushed through a slot in the front. As kids, we had always joked that someone should spray-paint the wagons to look like Pokeballs, as the spherical shape of the wagon did resemble the capture devices.

We were on our way shortly after the last passenger, a young boy, arrived. As we rumbled along our way, I noticed that he was staring at a Pokeball he had gotten out of his bag.

"No Pokemon out in the cart, sir." the driver said, though I swear he had not turned around to notice her.

He was a gruff man whose lower face was covered by a thick scarf, a Pokeball at his waist as well as a large knife. Personal protection post-Collapse was largely composed of blades, cudgels, or bows. Small arms certainly existed, but due to the noise, they were hardly ever used so that Pokemon were not attracted to the noise. It was one of the only boons that teaching Ancient History had, as most of students were at least slightly interested in the ancient warfare that had resurfaced in the wake of Pokemon.

"Oh, sorry." the boy said quietly, putting the Pokeball away. She looked nervous, almost sad as she turned her gaze to the passing countryside.

"You going to the Exam?"

His eyes were wide as he turned to look at me.

"I am too." I explained, patting Vulpix's Pokeball on my belt. "It's cool you've got your own Pokemon to take the Exam with." I could tell the kid was nervous and my teacher instinct kicked in. "I'm really glad I finally get to try. I've been wanting to go since I was even younger than you."

"Oh, yeah." the boy said, his voice soft. "I hope I can make it." He didn't sound like he hoped he could make it. The other two passengers, a woman and an elderly man, had turned their eyes towards us as our conversation began, but now seemed to ignore us.

"What kind of Pokemon do you have?" I asked, trying to pry the boy out of his shell, the same way that I had with shut-down students.

"Just a Caterpie (8)."

"Oh cool!" I replied, more enthusiastically than I felt. In truth, I wasn't a fan of Bug-types at all, and I knew that Caterpies were largely worthless in regards to Battling until they evolved to Butterfree (9). "Do you know how close it is to evolving (10)?"

"I think it should be pretty soon!" the boy replied, his eyes growing slightly larger. "I know I won't be able to do a Battle test with it, but I'm hoping maybe I can show it as an example of how I've raised a Pokemon or something." He glanced down at my waist. "What kind do you have?"

"A Vulpix." I said, trying not to sound too proud. I was excited to talk to someone new about my Pokemon.

"Oh, woah." he said admiringly. "Yeah, I definitely don't want to have to battle that with my Caterpie!"

We spoke for a while, our conversation eating up the miles as quickly as the Tauros' hooves. His names was Matthew, and he had been one of the kids of Ness Town fortunate enough to spend two years at the Ace Academy in Gale Town before he was forced to take the Trainer Exam early instead of graduating.

"My family doesn't have enough for me to keep going, unfortunately." he explained. "But I think I learned enough that I should have a decent chance of passing this time." He caught himself. "Well, at least I hope so." I realized that if his family had been forced to pull him out of the Ace Academy, then this was likely the only Exam that they would be able to afford to send him to, at least for this year.

We were just comparing our favorite Trainers and Gym Leaders to watch on TV when the wagon pulled through the large gates of Gale Town. The gates, steel mounted into large stone walls, was topped with the image of two Pidgeys, with a Pidgeot soaring from in between the two.

I had been to Gale Town numerous times and never got tired of the view as you entered the city's gates. The road snaked under the gates and down a slow slope, weaving back and forth towards the main part of the city, where you could see the sunlit sparkle of the North Sea in the distance. Though we couldn't hear it yet, I knew that the infamous wind of Gale Town was already whistling its way around the wagon. The Tauros pulled us directly into town and I glanced at the numerous brick and mortar shops and restaurants, the buildings taller and more modern looking than the ones in Ness Town. Sarah had always been a large fan of the more rustic feeling of Ness, but I had always had a small penchant for bigger cities. There was something energizing about the hustle and bustle of city life and, while I knew that Gale Town could hardly stand up to the bigger cities in Albion, much less the famous cities of Saffron and Goldenrod, I was excited to be back in a place a little more modern than home.

"Stop approaching." the driver half-mumbled as the Tauros slowed down, their gait changing as they came to the recognized transportation station. The man and woman were the first ones out, I imagined that they were commuters and were in a hurry to get to whatever job obligation preyed on their time. I thanked the driver, who merely nodded, and then Matthew and I began our walk towards the Trainer Exam building. Neither of us spoke, both lost in our own thoughts and even though I knew that I, as a grown man, should continue to encourage the nervous teenager, I myself was still struggling with getting my stomach to settle.

The primary portion of the Northern Albion Trainer Exam took place at a community center near the small harbor of Gale Town not too far from the transportation station, a large building that sported a freshwater pool, computer stations, a small library, and numerous large rooms for use as theaters, sports arenas, and three even committed for Pokemon battling. The sprawling building was the perfect place for an Exam (11). As we approached, I could hear the noise of a large crowd and saw that the lines to get in were already forming. I checked my watch and saw that it was only 8:45, but there were already at least fifty attendees lined up to get in. The line didn't seem to be moving and a flash of fear shot through me as I realized that I might miss the start time for the Exam due to the crowd, but Matthew pointed at a sign hung over a smaller door to the left of the main entrance of the stone building which read "Pre-registered attendees".

"Did you already register?" he asked

I nodded and the two of us walked through the door and followed the signs that pointed us into one of the large rooms that I assumed usually held bleachers and tables for sporting events. Those tables were now set up in a long row close to the door entrance, with large signs with letters of the alphabet. A rather bored-looking attendant was repeatedly explaining to those who entered that registered examinees should find the table with the first letter of their last name to finalize their registration.

"Well, good luck." I said to Matthew, whose eyes looked almost glazed over. He nodded and walked off without a word. I moved to a small queue in front of the "G" table, fumbling for my wallet as I finally approached the Exam worker.

"Peter Green" I said in response to the upward glance of the worker as she typed onto a small laptop, her fingers a blur over the keys and her eyes immediately re-fixing themselves on the computer.

"Green, Peter. Twenty six years old. Born May 28. Resident of Ness Town. Professional. Is that correct?" she spoke all of this without her eyes leaving the screen.

"Yes ma'am."

"Will you need a rental Pokemon for the Exam? We have Charmanders, Squirtles, and Bulbasaurs available, as well as-"

"I have my own." I said quickly. Her eyebrows rose at being interrupted, but she reached out her hand without saying more.

I detached Vulpix's Pokeball from my belt and handed her the white sphere. She picked up what looked like a futuristic ray gun from the table beside her. She pointed it at the Pokeball and red beams of light shot out, scanning the capture device from top to bottom, and then back to the top. The worker's eyes scanned the laptop screen, and then nodded.

"Vulpix. Female. Standard form. 2'00" height. 21.6 lbs. Healthy. Capable of flames. First capture was three weeks ago. Is that correct?"

"Yes ma'am" I repeated. I was surprised at how much information they could gather without even seeing my Pokemon, even with a scanner (12).

She nodded and then grabbed a round pin from a large stack beside her. It was red with G-27 emblazoned on the front.

"This is your Examination number. Find the desk that matches your pin and listen for your number to be called when the Exam moves onto field tests. Thank you for your attendance." She added this last part in a particularly un-thankful way. I nodded my gratitude regardless, thinking that I would not want her job either, and then moved to find my seat.

There was a raised platform with a standing desk on the far left side of the room past the registration tables while the remainder of the large, wooden-floored court was filled with single-seat desks with the chair attached by steel rods, similar to the ones in my classroom. I found the G section and squeezed into a desk, already uncomfortable from the moment that I set down. I figured they must have borrowed these desks from one of the Gale Town schools during the Winter Break and suppressed a groan at the thought of being stuck in one of these for the next few hours. A small smidge of sympathy for my students grew in my chest.

I glanced at a large clock on the wall and realized I still had about thirty minutes before the Exam started. The line for unregistered entrants still led out of the main doors of the gymnasium and I wondered if any would have to be turned away. I looked around, blinking my eyes a few times to wake up. Most of the other seated Examinees were pouring over notes or just were staring off into space. Almost all of the other Examinees l could see looked to be around fifteen or sixteen, with a fair amount looking even younger. I shook my head as a I realized, even though these kids were the same age as my students, in the eyes of the Pokemon Examiners, we were all on equal, unproven footing.

I spent the next twenty minutes or so running through some more facts, quizzing myself on the different varieties of Flying-type Pokemon as well as remembering all of the training Vulpix and I had done together. I felt confident that she would listen to me, but then again, she hadn't battled against a live Pokemon yet, and I wondered if she would be as willing to fight a living opponent as she was a PokeDoll.

There was a slam as the doors to the outer halls closed and I could see that there indeed had been a few potential Examinees who had been turned away. The registration workers were shutting down computers and leaving through side doors and then a small group of men and women wearing business suits, each with Pokeballs on their waists, approached the platform, where I saw that several chairs had been set up during my self-induced stupor. It was as I turned my head to watch them that I saw him. A familiar face was smiling back at me, somewhat conspicuous in the crowd of Examinees who had to be around ten years his junior. A face I had always hoped I'd have beside me in a Trainer's Exam.

Ben White raised a hand and waved at me, a sheepish grin on his face.

"What are you doing here?" I mouthed, trying not to laugh. He shrugged and tapped the Pokeball that was attached to his belt. It had some form of blue mark on it, but I couldn't quite make it out. It didn't look like one of the rental Pokeballs I had seen other Examinees with. I moved to stand up to move towards him, but he jerked his thumb towards the platform where a woman, her hair pulled back into a tight bun, was clearing her throat.

"Greetings, Examinees!" she said, her voice slightly too loud as the mic levels were rapidly adjusted. "And welcome to this year's first Northern Albion Trainer Exam!" There was a smattering of applause from students throughout the room.

"My name is Dr. Marissa Sinclair, and I will be the Head Proctor today." She continued with her introductions, giving names to the other Proctors and support staff for the Exam, but I had already lost the battle against tuning her out within a few sentences. It became obvious that she was not used to speaking in front of large crowds, as she often paused unnecessarily, as if she was gathering herself. I got the feeling that she was more used to be abrupt and curt in conversation, but was forcing herself to be chipper for this opening speech. A smile was plastered to her face, but her eyes betrayed a slight annoyance at having to speak to a crowd of Trainer-hopefuls.

"Now, on to the rules and guidelines for today's Exam!" she continued as the last Proctor, an elderly gentleman with shocks of white hair shooting from his scalp, sat down. Her eyebrows angled slightly down and her eyes narrowed. A small upturn of the left side of her lip, a smile that looked almost like a sneer, made me suspect that this was likely her face's usual setting.

"The first time that it becomes apparent that an Examinee has lost control of their Pokemon, the Examinee will be removed from the Exam." she glanced towards a group of rather young looking Examinees. "If an Examinee or the Pokemon under their care attacks another Examinee, Proctor, or another Pokemon not under Battle conditions, the Examinee will be removed from the Exam."

She paced across the stage, her hands clasped behind her back, her eyes flitting back and forth across the crowd.

"We will begin with the written portion of the Exam, to be completed in two hours." I heard a small wave of groans from the crowd and I rolled my eyes. That was the usual amount of time Exams gave for each portion of the Exam and everyone here should have known that. "Then, we will move to Field Tests, and then, on to the third and final section," she paused before she revealed the secretive final section of the Exam.

"The Battling Portion!"

I let out a small sigh of excited relief, as did many of the Examinees around me. I knew some would be disappointed, either because they weren't confident in their Battling abilities or because they aspired to get their Trainer Licenses for another reason, but it was common knowledge that the Exams largely rotated between Battling, Breeding, or Survival portions as their final part. Besides, being able to command a Pokemon in battle, at least against a wild Pokemon, was a necessary skill for anyone looking to become a Trainer of any kind. I thought of Michael who I had rode in with, but I couldn't make him out in the crowded room.

Dr. Sinclair waited for the crowd to settle, and then waved her arm towards the side of the gymnasium. Men and women with proctor badges pinned to their jackets began to pass out large packets of paper.

"As you finish the written portion of your exam, please take your exam and proceed through the doors you entered in. There, you will give your exam to an assistant proctor, then find the large signs that match the color of your Examinee badge. Thereafter, you will be directed to the field test, and then finally to the Battle test." Her eyes swept back and forth over the crowd of Examinees, watching as the written test was handed out. "It should go without saying that cheating will _not_ be tolerated." I saw a cold gleam in her eye. "The first instance of suspected cheating in any portion of the test will result in an Examinee being removed from the Exam." She paused. "Without question."

I heard a couple of small, nervous laughs as some of the younger Examinees tried to stave off their nerves.

Dr. Sinclair waited until the final tests were placed on the desks. Mine was laid in front of me, a thick, white stack that was the first step towards realizing my childhood dreams. I blinked a couple of times, scanned the first page for questions that looked easy, and then heard Dr. Sinclair give a final announcement:

"You may begin!"

1) A doll resembling a fairy-type Pokemon called Clefairy, Pokedolls can be used for training purposes as well as to distract wild Pokemon. They are laced with pheromones from a wide variety of mammal-like Pokemon.

2) Pokeballs are often carried on Trainers' belts. The storage devices were magnetic, allowing them to be held in place reliably on a person's belt, as long as the belt itself had metal along it.

3) Trainer Exams in Northern Albion are only given twice a year due to the need for proctors from the entire Albion region to attend.

4) In a household containing a Pokemon, only one member needs to have a Trainer's License in order for the Pokemon to be held legally. Every Pokemon within a household must be assigned to a Trainer.

5) All officially licensed and registered Pokedexes come installed with cellular phone capabilities, Internet connectivity, and a wide arrange of other features, in addition to its main function of Pokemon registration and information provision.

6) With the rise of Pokemon, many natural resources from the before the Collapse have become replaced by Pokemon products, such as fur, jelly, etc.

7) A bovine-like Pokemon with two curved horns and three tails, which it uses to whip itself into a battle frenzy. Tauros in the Albion region are known to sport much shaggier hair than their counterparts worldwide.

8) A small, green, Bug-type Pokemon. It emits a foul odor when threatened and can emit a form of webbing to protect itself. It is popular with younger Trainers, as are most Bug-Pokemon, due to their rapid growth.

9) A Bug-type Pokemon resembling a large, pre-Collapse butterfly. Can emit various kinds of spores, as well as some minor forms of Psychic waves. Butterfrees are a popular Pokemon for young Trainers to work with, as they are largely docile until trained to battle.

10) Most Pokemon, when exposed to a variety of triggers, experiences, or in some cases even certain Stones, went through rather rapid transformations into a different form of beast. Scientists are still trying to understand this extremely accelerated form of adaptation.

11) Once Albion as a whole began to mobilize itself for a Pokemon League, Gale Town had been one of the first cities to reinvent itself as a city for Trainers.

12) A device largely used at Pokemon Centers, it allows for data about the captured Pokemon to be transmitted from the Pokeball to a computer system. Official Pokedexes use the same software.


End file.
